In a significant escalation of tensions, Pakistani authorities have intensified their crackdown on Baloch activists, leading to the arrest of key leaders from the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC). On March 24, 2025, police in Karachi arrested Sammi Deen Baloch and deputy organizer Lala Wahab during a protest against the ongoing repression in Balochistan.

This protest was part of a broader demonstration against the recent arrests of other Baloch human rights defenders, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch, who was detained earlier under serious charges including terrorism and sedition.

Following the arrests, the BYC issued a statement condemning what it termed "barbaric" actions by the Pakistani state, labelling them as acts of state terrorism aimed at silencing dissent among the Baloch people.

The organisation accused the government of employing colonial-era laws like Section 144 to suppress peaceful protests and described the arrests as part of a long-standing genocidal policy against the Baloch community, which has faced enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings for decades.

International reactions have been swift, with figures such as Mary Lawlor, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, criticizing the violent suppression of protests in Quetta and calling attention to the broader implications for human rights in Pakistan.

The crackdown has raised alarms about the treatment of dissenting voices in Balochistan, where security forces have reportedly used excessive force against unarmed protesters, resulting in fatalities and numerous injuries.

The situation remains volatile as civil society groups continue to rally for justice and accountability. The BYC has urged international human rights organizations to hold Pakistan accountable for its actions and to recognize the ongoing oppression faced by the Baloch people. They assert that this repression will not extinguish their voices or their struggle for human rights and dignity.

ANI